Fireman&#39;s hat.



No. 705,032. Patented luly 22, I902.

I. CMBNS.

FIREMANS HAT.

(Application filed may 9, 1902.)

(In Iodel.)

9 C amoewtoz Em A I T7 MM ing drawings, in which it is illustrated, and

IRVING CAIRNS, OF MONTOLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

FlRElVlANS HAT.

SE'ECIFIC'ATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,032, dated July 22, 1902, Application filed May 9, 1902. Serial No. 106,513. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING CAIRNS, a citizen of the United States, residing in Montclair, in the county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Firemens Hats, of which the following is a specification, reference bein g had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

Fire-hats or hats intended for the use of firemen are designed primarily to afford protection to the head and face from the heat and shock of falling objects and are generally made chiefly of leather, as this material (being a non-conductor of heat and electricity, as well as strong and somewhat elastic in its nature) has been found to answer most satisfactorily to the requirements. Nevertheless, hats made of leather after they have been in service for some time and subjected to repeated wetting and drying are liable to shrink, thus reducing the size'and making it necessary to have the hat reshaped in order that it may be restored to its full size.

It is the object of this invention to improve the construction of firemens hats so that, although of leather, they shallLnot shrink out of shape or size after repeated wetting and drying, but shall retain their original size, and also to add strength and rigidity to the hat. To accomplish this, the hat is provided with an incompressible preferably rigid or substantially rigid band, which when once conformed to the head of the wearer retains its shape and resists the tendency of the leather hat-body to shrink out of shape.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanyin which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section. of a flremans hat to which the invention is applied. Fig. 2 is a detail View of the hatband in section on the same plane as Fig. 1, but on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the hat-band in front elevation and on a larger scale. Fig. i is a detail view of a 'hatband in plan and on a larger scale.

The body a and brim b of the hat may be constructed in any suitable manner and of any suitable material, it being understood that the invention is applicable to a hat made of any material which is liable to shrink out of shape.

Within the body of the hat, in the position occupied by an ordinary hat-band, is secured a band 0, which is preferably of metal in order that it may best serve its intended purpose. In order that this band may be practically incompressible, so as to resist the shrinkage of the hat-body, it is endless, the ends of the strip of metal from which it may be formed being brazed, riveted, or otherwise secured together, so that they shall not slip. It is desirable that the band shall be not only incompressible, but substantially rigid, in order that it may resist lateral indentation, and for this purpose it is formed with an outwardly-turned flange d, which imparts the necessary rigidity. The flange cZ also provides a convenient mode of attachment of the band and the usual felt lining e, the edge of the latter being stitched to a narrow band f of leather which is stretched over the flange and secured thereto by cement or any other suitable means. For the ventilation of the hat holes may be formed in the band, as at g, and also in the flange, as at h. The band and the lining may be secured in place within the body of the hat by stitching, cement,or any other suitable means.

It will be obvious that a leather hat provided with'such a band as described herein cannot so change its shape through wetting and drying as to fail to fit the head of the wearer to which the band has been conformed and also that such a band does not add materially either to the cost or to the Weight of the hat.

I claim as my invention-- 1. Aflremans hat havinga body of shrinkable material and an endless metal band ex tended upward within the body and flanged outwardly at its lower edge beneath the brim, substantially as described.

2. A flremans hat havinga body of shrinkable material, an endless metal band extended upward within the body and flanged outwardly at its lower edge beneath the brim, and a lining secured to said flange and extended upwardly within the band and to the hat-body, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 6th day of May, A. D. 1902.-

IRVING CAIRNS.

In presence of- ANTHONY N. JESBERA, M. A. BRAYLEY. 

